- Bill Hill was sentenced to 4 years for running an unlicensed Bitcoin mixing tool, Samourai Wallet.
- Hill’s autism diagnosis and age reduced his sentence from 5 years to 4 years.
- Hill faces 3 years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and credit for time served in Portugal.
William Bill Hill, co-founder of the privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet Samourai Wallet, was sentenced to four years in prison for his involvement in operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. The 67-year-old Hill was convicted for his role in the creation of the Bitcoin mixing tool, which was reportedly used to launder over $237 million in criminal proceeds. This sentence follows his guilty plea in July for conspiracy to operate the illegal service.
Mitigating Factors in Hill’s Sentencing
The case of Hill has been ruled by District Judge Denise Cote of the Southern District of New York (SDNY), who has pronounced a lesser punishment, taking into account the defendant’s old age and recent diagnosis of autism. The judge recognized that Hill’s age and infirmity would be a great hardship for him to endure should he be imprisoned. Therefore, instead of the statutory maximum of five years, Hill got a sentence of four years.
During the sentencing, Hill’s defense lawyer, Roger Burlingame, argued that Hill’s autism played a significant role in his actions. Burlingame described how Hill’s condition led him to view his work with Samourai Wallet as legally justified, emphasizing his “black-and-white” thinking style. Hill, according to the defense, believed his actions were lawful because the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) did not require non-custodial wallets to register as money transmitting businesses.
Hill’s Emotional Statement and Legal Context of the Case
During the sentencing hearing, Bill Hill was very sorry for what he had done. He said that at first he looked at it from the angle of freedom, but finally he was able to see that it was really his ego that had led him to such a course of action. Hill broke down crying as he mentioned the trial’s impact on his family, particularly on his wife, Sabrina.
As part of his sentence, Hill was also given a three-year supervised release, which he will serve while residing in Lisbon, Portugal, where he is living. Besides that, he has to pay a fine of $250,000. Hill can reduce his sentence by as much as 11 weeks by claiming the time he has already spent in a Portuguese prison.
Hill and his partner, Keonne Rodriguez, were the brains behind the creation of the Samourai Wallet, a tool that aimed at giving an extra layer of privacy to Bitcoin users. The tool was reportedly used to clean the money of millions of dollars, even though both accused maintained that they thought their actions were legal. A strong legal team notwithstanding, both Hill and Rodriguez had to plead guilty to the charge of running an unlicensed money transmitting business, which ultimately resulted in their convictions.
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